Stone of Shiro

Why him? He doesn’t want to be a hero… but he’s their only hope!

In the magical realm of Shiro, life for the young Mushling Cale, is anything but easy. He’s stuck with rowdy housemates, falling behind at school, and barely scraping by as a part-time busboy. His only joys are his beloved pet Truffles and a strange blue button he wears for protection. Cale just wants to be left alone with Truffles, but when alien invaders steal the magical Stone that protects his world, Cale is unwittingly thrust into a perilous quest to find it. Armed only with a mysterious scroll, separated from Truffles and stripped of his talisman button, he and two loyal friends are pulled into an unknown, dark and dangerous world. Lost and vulnerable, Cale must now outwit shadowy creatures, survive impossible challenges, unlock ancient secrets, and find the courage to become the hero Shiro needs… before it’s too late!

Growing up in the Belgian Congo (now the DRC), where her father was a Sabena pilot, Sue Ruffle discovered French language comics such as Tintin, Spirou, Asterix and Les Schtroumpfs (the Smurfs) sparking a lifelong passion for storytelling. Years later, Sue created her own fantasy realm of small anthropomorphic beings for her own children. They loved it and, after a crazy “what if” moment, she set her sights on sharing her story with young readers worldwide. Through countless challenges, she held fast to her dream and now finally, her story will be told. Sue’s career spans international advertising, founding her own children’s marketing company, and after moving to Australia in 2006, she served as a marketing director in the animation industry. She later co-founded boutique ad agency The Gaswerx in 2011. Today, with the support of her husband, and four grown-up children, she is fulfilling her decades-long dream as a Middle Grade Graphic Novel author. Fluent in English and French, Sue lives in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales with her husband and three spoiled Jack Russell terriers, and enjoys walking, crime and mystery novels, amateur theatre and all things fantasy Middle Grade.

Stefano Spaziani is an Italian comic artist and illustrator, born in Frosinone in 1991. From an early age he was inspired by American and Japanese cartoons which ignited his lifelong passion for drawing. He went on to study traditional art at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics in Rome, graduating in 2013, before expanding into digital art through advanced workshops and courses with renowned international artists, such as Miki Montlló, Antonio De Luca, and Simone Di Meo. Beyond illustration, Stefano finds inspiration in the practice of Tai Chi Chuan, a Chinese martial art that influences his creative philosophy. The principles of balance, rhythm, flow and contrast guide both his martial art practice and his artistic expression. When he’s not drawing, he shares this discipline by teaching Tai Chi Chuan to children and adults, fostering wellbeing and harmony through movement. Stefano’s professional credits include independent projects such as the comic Creature Dwells, as well as illustration work for LEGO Magazine across Europe, contributing to stories featuring Ninjago, Batman, Spider-man and The Avengers. He has also collaborated with Intercom as part of their artistic team. Stefano is passionate about nurturing creativity in the next generation and teaches art to children. His mission whether through illustration, teaching or martial arts, is to give life to stories that encourage creativity and imagination and a deeper appreciation of the world we live in.